A six days training workshop on positive parenting was recently conducted at Buma village in Malaita.
The workshop was held from 25th May to 1st June and was attended by 23 participants from Buma village and surrounding communities within Arekwa region of the Diocese of Malaita.
The workshop was organized by the Provincial Mothers Union office in Honiara in conjunction with the Mothers Union of the Diocese of Malaita.
It was based on materials put together by Mary Sumners House, the Headquarters of the Mothers Union Worldwide.
The workshop was facilitated by a team from Honiara led by George Kiriau, the Coordinator of the programme.
Bishop of Malaita, Bishop Sam Sahu who was very supportive of the programme officially opened the workshop.
The Bishop hoped the programme would roll out to other communities within the Diocese.
With the training, it was hoped that the following would occur:
– parenting skills of the participants would be extended;
– their family relationships would be stronger;
– the workshop would contribute to stable family within the Province.
The Coordinator stated there are times when parenting can be fun and really enjoyable.
But there are times and with some parents where parenting can be really stressful and overwhelming for them, he said.
Mr Kiriau was pleased with the changes he saw in the participants and the feedback he received from the participants during and following the training.
“When things become overwhelming and stressful the response tends to be to use punishment and control which creates more problems.
“There will always be challenges to parenting but it depends on the way these are
handled with the communities also may be helping out.”
Helping out with the workshop were 10 facilitators from the Central region which includes Auki.
Following the workshop, the facilitators were also encouraged to roll out the training into their respective communities.
The workshop was funded by PLAN International, an Australian NGO.
Participants and Facilitators, PLAN staff and Team from Honiara following the Parenting Training.
